The present invention relates generally to a heel counter structure for a shoe, and more particularly, to improvement in structure to hold a heel of a foot of a shoe wearer stably at all times irrespective of width of the heel or size of calcaneus of the foot.
The applicant of the present invent ion proposed a sole structure for an athletic sports shoe in which a sole has a three-dimensional upraised shape to enclose a region extending from a ball of a foot in front of a plantar arch portion to a heel portion and an upper end edge portion of the upraised shape extends to a vicinity of a ridge line of the widest region of the foot (see figured 1 and 3 of Japanese utility model registration application examined publication No. H07-36481 or 1995-36481).
In this case, giving a three-dimensional shape to the sole allows for secure support of the heel without a heel counter for holding the heel.
However, in the structure shown in the above-mentioned publication, since an upraised portion whose upper end edge portion extends to the vicinity of the ridge line of the widest region of the foot is adapted to hold an entire heel, in the event that a width of the sole of the shoe corresponds to a heel width of the foot of a wearer, it can hold the heel sufficiently, but in the event that the heel width of the foot is smaller than the width of the sole of the shoe, a gap is created between the heel and the shoe and thus it cannot hold the heel sufficiently thereby causing support of the heel to be unstable. To the contrary, in the event that the heel width of the foot is greater than the width of the sole of the shoe, the heel of the foot steps on the upraised portion to deform an upper part of the upraised portion outwardly. Thereby, the structure cannot hold the heel sufficiently, shortens the life of the shoe, and causes sore of the foot through chafing of the shoe.
Another prior-art heel counter structure is shown in FIG. 37. As shown in FIG. 37, the heel counter structure 100 includes a planar insole board 101 and a heel counter portion 102 disposed along a heel peripheral portion of the insole board 101 to enclose a heel of a foot.
In this case as well, in the event that a heel width of the foot F of a wearer corresponds to a heel width of the shoe (see FIG. 38), the heel counter portion 102 can hold the heel, but in the event that the heel width of the foot F is greater than the heel width of the shoe (see FIG. 39), since the heel of the foot F widens and deforms an upper part of the heel counter portion 102 outwardly, the heel counter portion 102 cannot hold the heel sufficiently (see FIG. 39 and a dash-and-dot line of FIG. 37). Also, in the event that the heel width of the foot is smaller than the heel width of the shoe, a gap is created between the heel and the shoe and thus it cannot hold the heel sufficiently either.
On the other hand, it is considered that not only for shoe length but also for heel width of a shoe, different sized shoes are prepared and stocked, but it is not realistic to stock shoes of different heel widths respectively for the shoes of different lengths because shoe manufacturers and shoe sales divisions need to have a large stock of shoes.
The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances and its object is to provide a heel counter structure for a shoe that can hold a heel of a foot of a shoe wearer stably at all times irrespective of width of the heel or size of calcaneus of the foot. In other words, the present invention is directed to providing a heel counter structure for a shoe to increase holdability of a heel of a foot.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious and appear hereinafter.